Marvin West: Final Fulmer column

There’s a good chance this is my final Phillip Fulmer column. I am old and he is going out the gate. Please forgive if it gets too personal.

I appreciate the idea of Phillip Fulmer Day. Friends and relatives and I can say goodbye and thanks for the good times. Shouldn’t cost much extra. Maybe there is a way to fudge some small gift from the retirement package.

Some of this I’ve said before. I’ve known Phillip for 40 years but I didn’t know him as a high school player in Winchester, hadn’t even heard of him until Ray Trail locked up with Alabama in a recruiting race. After that, I heard a lot.

Trail, line coach in the Doug Dickey era, was an exceptional traveling salesman. He hit small Southern towns like a husky cowboy straight out of the movies. His horse was a sporty orange Pontiac convertible, twin tailpipes, white top, white leather inside. His persona included a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and a big 75-cent cigar.

When Ray Trail rolled into Winchester, zoom, zoom, almost everybody knew Tennessee had arrived. They figured the Tide wasn’t going to get the local kid without a real, live shootout.

Trail said the recruitment shouldn’t have been that big a deal, that Fulmer was All-State but just an average high school star. Trail was surprised to learn Fulmer wanted to be a linebacker.

“He wanted to hear all about Tennessee’s linebacker tradition.”

Trail told me that Fulmer was a guard and wasn’t going to be a linebacker. Step slow. He didn’t bother Fulmer with such minor details.

Alabama turned up the heat. Paul “Bear” Bryant dispatched the two Tennesseans on his staff, defensive guru Ken Donahue and trainer Jim Goostree, to reel in Fulmer. Trail knew trouble when he saw it.

“I wasn’t so sure Phillip was ever going to Alabama but I decided it was time to take my best shot. I got him into this little room near the coaching office and I sat him down and explained the facts of life.

“If a Tennessee boy goes to Alabama and spends four good years, he’s still a Tennessee boy in a foreign land. Nothing special is going to happen to him. I said, ‘Phillip Fulmer, you are a Tennessee boy and if anything good is ever going to happen to you, it’s going to happen at the University of Tennessee.’ ”

Fulmer remembers the talk and the cigar smoke and how hard it was to breathe. He also remembers Trail telling him Bryant was about to retire and coach Dickey was forever. Fulmer decided that stuffy room was no place for a long-winded discussion. He bought the part about state loyalty. It helped him escape.

Fulmer signed with Tennessee. I met him as a freshman. I got acquainted with all freshmen, just in case their parents might want to purchase a newspaper subscription.

The more I saw of Phillip, the better I liked him. He was bright. Class act. He could play. He was a starter in ’71, co-captain, tough guard for Trail. Bill Battle was head coach. Dickey was long gone. Bryant was still going strong at Alabama.

Trail couldn’t recall ever saying Doug was long-term and Bear was about finished.

Phillip Fulmer was a leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He came to our church to address young Cumberland Presbyterians. He was in our home, at our dining room table, and in our swimming pool, dunking our children. The Wests really liked this big, lovable Volunteer. Still do.

Fulmer went away for coaching experience. Johnny Majors offered a return ticket. Fulmer asked what I thought of the opportunity. I cautioned him, said Majors was terrific with players but a tough taskmaster for assistants. Fulmer accepted the job.

He grew and advanced. Now and then, he remembered what Trail had said in that recruiting pitch, “You are a Tennessee boy and if anything good is ever going to happen to you, it’s going to happen at the University of Tennessee.”

Well, as you know, it happened. He became head coach and a big winner. He achieved fame and fortune, honor and respect. National coach of the year. President of the coaches’ association. Positive influence. First Tennessee commercials. Father figure.

The years flew fast. The coach lost some hair. Lost some games. Took a hit from critics. Former players bought a rebuttal page and published a powerful letter of support. A little later, the coach somehow acquired a new and better contract. A little later, he got a pink slip. It hurt to watch him go when he wanted to stay. What remains is Phillip Fulmer Day.

There is a long-standing rule prohibiting applause in the old press box. I may break it Saturday, quietly, just for a minute, for old times’ sake.

Marvin West is a former sports editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel. He invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com.